After watching patients closely, I can tell you emphatically that at our Slidell dentistry care center, we see basically 2 major patterns with regard to how our patients handle the aging process relative to their teeth. One group will seek care only when something happens and their future is unpredictable and oftentimes ends with, at best, a lifetime of constant repair and frustration, and for many, the loss of their teeth, in spite of visiting the dentist every 6 months for their lifetime. The other group at some point stops, steps back, makes an assessment of where they are (a comprehensive exam), becomes clear on what they want for their mouths in their later years, hears the choices available to get what they want, and systematically moves their oral health to a place that allows them to literally stop their mouths from aging.
All radiation is harmful. It is the amount of radiation we get, the frequency, and the duration that determines how harmful this technology is to us. In dentistry, we weigh the risks versus the benefits to our patients. The newer x-ray units are now digital and have greatly reduced the radiation to our patients. The use of the panoramic x-ray has allowed us to replace the Full Mouth Survey (20 to 24 separate x-rays) with one single exposure. We never take x-rays to generate additional fees. We take the least amount of exposures to show what we need to see at our Slidell dentistry care center.
In most cases, yes we do accept insurance at our Slidell dentistry care center. The front office staff can share with you the intricacies as to how we handle insurance. We belong to no plans. Our obligation is to our patients and no one or entity will dictate to us what we recommend to our patients.
It is important to note that we will always discuss with you what is going on in your mouth and what your options are relative to treatment. Once you discover what treatment options are best for you, we can then discern how much your insurance will cover. We will work with you to help you receive the maximum benefit to which you are entitled.
It is important to note that not all root canal treatments are failures and have infections. Many infected teeth are successfully treated with root canals and have functioned for years without infection. Modern Cat Scans now can tell us which root canals are failing and then the patient can decide whether to retreat the tooth or to extract it. Extracting all root canal teeth has far reaching consequences and may lead many to becoming dental cripples. Each situation must be evaluated on an individual basis and a detailed discussion about the pros and cons of removing teeth is owed to each patient so that the patient has a clear understanding of the consequences of their choice.
Yes, I am a New Orleans TMJ dentist that has studied the chewing system and its effect on the quality of patients’ lives. I am amazed at how many different ways this malady can manifest itself among my patients. There is the best place for the jaw joints to be and when the muscles cannot position the joints in that place because the teeth don’t fit together there, a myriad of symptoms can ensue…headaches, neck aches, ringing of the ears, popping noises in front of the ears, loss of hearing, vertigo (loss of balance), severe wear of the teeth, erosions at the necks of the teeth, splitting of teeth, loosening of teeth, large bony growths around the teeth, and many more.
As a New Orleans TMJ dentist, I have found that the key is a clear diagnosis of what is going on within the chewing system and what seems to be the cause of the disharmony.